Christmas Cruise: Bahamas & Virgin Islands (U.S. + British)
- LoAroundTheGlobo
- Dec 3, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: May 3
December 2012
Annual Christmas Family Vacation -- my second-ever cruise, first warm/tropical one. And it did not disappoint in the slightest. We boarded our floating metropolis in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Our first stop was Princess Cays, Bahamas. We spent the day there exploring, beaching, goofing around, and grubbing. Not sure if it ever rains there or is ever even cloudy, but the two days I've collectively spent there have been the sunniest, warmest, clearest blue sky days ever. We meandered through a local market, admiring the fishermen as they cleaned/prepared their fresh catches, and shopped around, appreciating the craftsmanship of the local artisans.
On our ship, we had dinners together, saw comedy shows, hung out by the pool, played ping-pong, and Timmy and I befriended other "young adults" pretty early on while relaxing in the hot tub. We had a little rat pack by the end of the week. We would play games, go to trivia events, and just all hangout at night on the pool deck beneath the stars. One day, when my fam and I were lounging by the pool, the ship started playing a live recording of a Coldplay concert. It must've been a special festival performance or something, but it lasted about 3 hours; then they played it again. So now, every time I hear a Coldplay song, I go back to that perfect day on the ship, singing along with other vacationers, basking in the sunshine.
Our next stop was St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. I was set to go scuba-diving there. We disembarked the ship and headed towards my check-in location. Since I was going alone, I quickly befriended an Australian father and son duo and ended up spending the whole morning with them. The dive was absolutely gorgeous. We just did a shallow boat dive, descending down about 20ft. but we coasted along the vibrant coral reef and spotted colorful wildlife throughout our adventure. When I emerged from the water onto the beach, I literally stumbled into my mom and brother. They'd been hanging at the beach bar, laughing with the hilariously ridiculous bartender and just admiring the crystal clear waters. We hung out there for a while (as the others were shopping) until we realized it was time to make our way back to the ship.
We bummed a ride with an islander that our bartender friend helped arrange. This super nice local let us ride in the bed of his truck, but when someone on the side of the road flagged him down to give him $20, we joked that we needed friends like that, to which he replied that he'd just gotten out of prison, was down on his luck, and his community was supporting him to get back on his feet. It was a really touching moment, but as quickly as it happened, we heard a loud POP and realized he'd gotten a flat tire. With little time to spare, we all brainstormed what to do. A lightbulb dinged and the next thing we knew, we rolled up to an auto repair shop where we were able to change out the tire. Our driver offered the owner his newly-acquired cash, but the owner refused and sent us on our way with hugs and smiles.
Having barely made it back to the ship in time, we hustled to get ready for Christmas Eve in the dining room, where we enjoyed salad, surf and turf, and decadent desserts. We night-capped at a piano bar in the main atrium as we sang along to Christmas carols and sipped festive drinks.
Our next stop was the British Virgin Islands, where my then-stepdad (TK) and I went horseback riding on the beach (a lifelong dream of mine)!! My sweet girl's name was Navidad, or at least it was that day lol, but we enjoyed a gorgeous trot along the coast before heading down into the expansive blue waters. We rewarded our trusty stallions with carrots and apples once we'd arrived safely back to the stables.
We then had two "ship" days as we sailed back towards the U.S. We all enjoyed this trip so very much, and it was sad to part ways with all the beautiful islands we'd explored, all the fun people we'd met, and all the yummy food we'd consumed; but at least we didn't have to part with all the amazing experiences we'd accumulated. It was a remarkable Christmas indeed.
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To Do or Not To Do?
Yes, absolutely. As I've said before, there are LOTS of incredible gems all throughout the Caribbean and one could spend a lifetime just adventuring around this region. But these islands were especially gorgeous, brimming with happy-go-lucky locals, incredible beaches, and countless experiences just waiting to be uncovered.
I wasn't sure if I'd like the idea of a cruise, only because it seemed cheesy to me at first, but it's the perfect way to see lots of cool places in a short amount of time -- especially as a family since everyone can kind of do their own thing on and off the ship. It's the best way to cater to everyone's travel wants/needs. Highly recommend and highly recommend these spots, but island hop around, go new places, and report back to me with your thoughts!
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